The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1887-07-20
Southern Agricultural.
IMPROVING THE SOIL.

One OF the Grestest Needs Of Southern
Soils Considered.
If the question was asked, what IS
the greatest need of Southern soilsP'
probably the best answer would be
hun1us, or vegetable mould. Analyses
of the subsoil, or that portion that lies
below the surface soil, and which is
practically destitute of vegetable mat
ter, show that the subsoils of the South
compare favorably with those of the
most fertile prairie lands of the West
in the percentage of the inorganic or
mineral elements of fertility-phos-
phorus, potassium, calcium, mag
nesium, iron, etc.. from which are de-
rived phosphoric acid, potash, lime.
etc. That these elements are the
basis of all soil fertility is universally
admitted. Without their presence
in the soil (subsoiD, no land can be
brought up to a profitable and per-
manent condition of productiveness by
additions from other sources. Even
the poorest soils that are cultivated
contain aggregate amounts Of phos-
phoric acid, potash and lime that will
astonish one who has never seen the
amount stated in pounds or tons. and
the quantity in very rich soils is al
most incredible. One acre of very
rich soil, taken to the depth of one
foot, has been found to contain the fol-
lowing amounts of the principal in
organic elements: Lime, 70 tons; pot
ash, IS tons; soda, "a tons; phos-
phoric acid, 8 tons.
The percentage and aggregate OF
these elements present in an ordinary
Or poor soil are greatly less, of
course, but yet the amount OF each
would reach into the tons. These
figures will especially astound the
farmer who is accustomed to consider
few hundred pounds of commercial
fertilizers (gross) as liberal applica-
ton per acre. Five hundred pounds
of high grade acid phosphate, for in
stance, would add only 60 to Is pounds
of phosphoric acid to an acre, assum-
ing the phosphate to analyze ~ to Is
per cent. available" But by far
the greater part of the elements named
as present in the soil in so large guam
titles is unavailable. e., insoluble,
and practically useless to growing
crop, except as a store from which the
demands of the crop are slowly sup
piled by chemical changes constantly
going on in the soil. Then chemical
changes are induced and greatly pro-
NOTED by the presence of vegetable
matter in the soil. The vegetable mat
ter must of course be derived from the
previous vegetation springing from
and subsisting on the soil.
Now, some plants possess the power
of absorbing and digesting the crude
elements of plant food already in the
soil in peculiar and high degree.
Clover and peas and other leguminous
plants have this popularity; hence
the very general use of clover
in those sections of the country
where it flourishes and the less
extensive culture of the pea in our
section. Clover requires lime in the
soil to give it start, and does not
seem to succeed we'll in our climate of
long summers. and particularly on
sandy or light soils. The cow pea is
not so particular about soils as clover.
While clover will succeed we'll in fully
one-half of the cotton belt-in the
metamorphic formation and limestone
regions-the COW pea is at home all
over the South, sad is aptly called the
''clover of the South" AS already
stated, these leguminous plants have a
peculiar power of assimilating the ele-
ments in the soil. They send down their
roots in the subsoil, rich in stores
of food that are largely unayaila-
BILE to ordinary crops on account of
their chemical condition and their
depth, and bring them up and organize
them into the substance of their roots,
stem and leaves. Not only this, but
such plants draw largely upon the
stores of ammonia and carbonic acid
that exist in the atmosphere. Then
decaying upon the surface the plants
| thus deposit these food elements Just
! where the crops of corn, cotton, wheat,
ETC., can get them, and in just the form
in which the food will be most readily
available. This u.s. in short, and with
out the use of scientific terms and ex-
plantations, the theory of the improve
ment of the soil by the growing Of
renovating crops. 1t is just the process
that nature has been carrying on for
ages, and which has resulted in
the formation of soils fit for the growth
OF the present high order of plants. 1t
remains for man to continue the pro-
cess and accelerate the rate by the SUBJ
stitution and cultivation of such plants
as are found to be better adapted to
the purpose than the indigenous
growth of weeds and wild plants. The
ordinary crops grown upon our farms
would carry on this process of soil im-
provement were it not for the fact that
such crops are largely removed from
the soil; and for the additional reason
in the case of summer-plowed crops
such as corn and cotton--the soil is
| exposed to the fierce heat of the sun
and the teaching effects of rains.
! There is no doubt that sue
cession of crops of small grain on the
same land would steadily improve the
soil, provided no part of the crop be